Watch & Learn

Education

Explore the Arts

Brian Stokes Mitchell

Dubbed "The Last Leading Man" by The New York Times, Brian Stokes Mitchell is the quintessential musical theatre performer, yet his work on the big and small screens as well as in concert halls around the country has been equally acclaimed. Stokes' performances as a solo vocalist have been praised by critics nationwide with sold-out performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Disney Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, Ravinia and Symphony Hall. His musical versatility and thrilling voice—an instrument The New York Times says "rumbles out of him like thunder underlined by drum rolls"—has kept him in demand by some of the country's finest conductors and orchestras. Most recently, Stokes took to the famed stage at Carnegie Hall for his solo debut, a sold-out evening with a forty-two piece orchestra conducted by Paul Gemignani. Joining him for select numbers were some of his past leading ladies including Reba McEntire, Heather Headley and Phylicia Rashad.Dubbed "The Last Leading Man" by The New York Times, Brian Stokes Mitchell is the quintessential musical theatre performer, yet his work on the big and small screens as well as in concert halls around the country has been equally acclaimed. Stokes' performances as a solo vocalist have been praised by critics nationwide with sold-out performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Disney Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, Ravinia and Symphony Hall. His musical versatility and thrilling voice—an instrument The New York Times says "rumbles out of him like thunder underlined by drum rolls"—has kept him in demand by some of the country's finest conductors and orchestras. Most recently, Stokes took to the famed stage at Carnegie Hall for his solo debut, a sold-out evening with a forty-two piece orchestra conducted by Paul Gemignani. Joining him for select numbers were some of his past leading ladies including Reba McEntire, Heather Headley and Phylicia Rashad. It may be on the Broadway stage, however, where Brian Stokes Mitchell has received the most adulation, including Broadway's highest honor, the Tony Award. Stokes was most recently on Broadway in the revival of Man of La Mancha, portraying the dual roles of Cervantes and Don Quixote and earning a Tony nomination and a Helen Hayes Award for his work. It was the revival of Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate—in the roles of Fred Graham and Petruchio—that earned him Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. He was also Tony-nominated for his performance as Coalhouse Walker, Jr. in the epic musical Ragtime, and for his dramatic turn as the title character in August Wilson's Tony nominated play King Hedley II. His other Broadway outings include Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jelly's Last Jam (replacing Gregory Hines), David Merrick's Oh, Kay! and Mail, which earned him a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut. In 1998, he joined the likes of Helen Hayes, Sir John Gielgud, Alec Guinness and James Earl Jones when he became the sole recipient of the Drama League's Distinguished Performance Award, the nation's oldest theatrical honor, for his commanding turn in Ragtime.